How to win friends and the respect of your fellow rider(s) (a) Buy a round of tea and cake at the caf' stop (b) sidestep conversations of a political, religious, sexual and doping nature (c) Invest in a set of SKS Longboard full coverage mudguards. Long by name, longer by nature they deliver superlative rider protection while safeguarding cranks, mechs and similarly intricate parts from the onslaught of silt and spray. Stainless steel hardware and top-notch materials mean they'll remain unblemished for many seasons but I was slightly disappointed by the lack of reflective detailing and drilling for a rear dynamo lamp.

Our Fordist black examples will literally complement or contrast any colour scheme but silver and beige are the alternatives. Whatever colour you go for you get a guard made from formed plastic with an aluminium core. Secu-clips will breakaway to prevent a nasty spill in the event of that crushed beer can, or dead pigeon lodging itself between guard and tyre (thanks Shaun I was eating my lunch - ed) while those beefy 3.4mm stainless stays will look pretty long after the galvanised type have turned furry.

The devil they say is in the detail and the finishing kit is reassuringly comprehensive, just be sure to keep feral felines and curious children from scattering them everywhere. Several coffees inside me and Ilpompino on the stand, everything breezed together pretty happily in about forty-five minutes. Achieving graceful flowing curves was easier than I expected thanks to the guards surprisingly malleable properties, although trimming those sturdy stays demanded beefy croppers.

SKS's time honoured refinement requires little introduction but it's surprising how much difference the additional length makes. A prolonged dry spell was making things slightly academic during testing but Mother Nature broke the monotony with gunmetal skies and subsequent thundery downpour. Despite torrents of water battering the chrome plastic, spray was localised to the fork blades rather than engulfing the feet and bottom bracket region, which bodes well for winter and/ or commuting in smart street shoes. The rear works equally well, inviting more persistent wheel sucking! The only other downside to this additional length is a tendency for the rear to catch when wheeling the bike vertically.

Verdict

Impressive mudguards offering optimum protection from rain and spray but as with all full guards take care you don't ground the rear if wheeling the bike vertically

road.cc test report

Make and model: SKS Longboard mudguard

Size tested: Black 45mm

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

"End wet feet forever!

SKS Longboard are one of the longest and best coverage fender on the planet." No quibble here!

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

■section: 45 mm

■rim: 700c

■colour: Latte/Black/Silver

■fastening: Secu Clip

Rate the product for quality of construction:

8/10

To SKS usual high standards.

Rate the product for performance:

9/10

Rate the product for durability:

8/10

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:

7/10

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:

9/10

Rate the product for value:

8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

The Longboard are the last word in protection for rider and machine thanks to superior length and prodigious mudflaps, spelling an end to wet feet and drowned drivetrains. The only minor problem was the rear's tendency to ground when wheeling the bike vertically-say negotiating tight hallways or hanging up in the workshop.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Superb coverage, build quality and materials.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The tendency to ground when wheeling vertically was slightly irksome but a minor point.

Proper mudguards at last ... only you can't buy them anywhere ... the rear guard should have been left at standard length, as it is the front that is too short on most guards. My only worry would be when I'm riding down steps (there are a few on my commute) whether the guards would catch ... if the flaps are flexible enough, then likely not an issue.

Have these mudguards on my winter bike. Less than a year old and only 1900 miles and the bottom section and mud flap on front has sheared off. On speaking to local shop, this appears to be a common problem. Bottom of extension just flaps around to much which creates stress. Comment from shop, it only appears to happen on the shiny black mudguards.

Miscellaneous

Tools and workshop

Here's how we roll at road.cc: every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a real insight into whether it works or not. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective, and we strive to ensure that all opinions expressed are backed up by facts, but reviews are always a reviewer's informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores. It reflects both a product's function and value. Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad. Here's what they mean: